Identification and quantification of polyphenols in plant material are of great interest since they make a significant contribution to its total bioactivity. In the present study, an UPLC-Orbitrap-MS/MS approach using the variable data acquisition mode (vDIA) was developed and applied for rapid separation, identification, and quantification of the main polyphenolic compounds in Medicago sativa L. and Trifolium pratense L. sprouts in different germination stages. Based on accurate MS data and fragment ions identification strategy, a total of 29 compounds were identified by comparing their accurate masses, fragment ions, retention times, and literatures. Additionally, a number of 30 compounds were quantified by comparing to the reference standards. Data were statistically analysed. For both plant species, the sprouts of the third germination day are valuable sources of bioactive compounds and could be used in phytotherapy and nutrition. Although Trifolium pratense L. (Red Clover) is considered to be a reference for natural remedies in relieving menopause disorders, alfalfa also showed a high level of biological active compounds with estrogenic activity.

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Considering the growing interest in functional foods, the identification of the individual species of elements is of great importance in understanding specific nutraceutical properties. The present study aims to compare the dynamic of the elemental content (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Se), total polyphenols, and antioxidant activity of Trifolium pratense L. and Medicago sativa L. sprouts in different germination stages. The elemental profile was established by atomic absorption spectroscopy after the microwave acid digestion of the samples, while total polyphenols and anti-radical activity were evaluated by UV-Vis spectroscopic methods. Phenolic compounds and anti-radical activity of both alfalfa and red clover sprouts varied with germination stages. Germination can significantly increase the anti-radical activity in the first 3 days of germination, followed by a decline in the following days. An increase in total polyphenols was noticed, starting from the second day of germination in both plant species. There were significant (p < 0.05) differences for Ca, Na, Fe, K, Zn, and Mg contents among the sprouts, depending on the germination stage and plant species. The calcium contents of alfalfa ranged between 200.74 µg/g DW (raw seeds) and 2765.31 µg/g DW (sprouted), while in red clover between 250.83 µg/g DW and 601.59 µg/g DW. Maximum selenium content in alfalfa sprouts, reached in the 3rd day of germination (11.42 µg/g DW), exceeded the maximum value measured in red clover (9.42 µg/g DW). The data were subject to statistical processing using analysis of variance (ANOVA), multivariate analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA).

Lichens (Lichenophyta phylum), the least exploited subdivision of fungus, are composite plants used in folk medicine for the treatment of diverse pathologies, from respiratory to digestive diseases, as they contain over 500 potentially bioactive compounds identified up-to-date. Lichen acids, such as usnic acid, lobar acid, lecanoric acid or salazinic acid, are among these compounds, with biopharmaceutical applications as antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic agents. The objectives of this study were to extract usnic acid from Romanian Cetraria islandica, (Parmeliaceae family), to characterize the extracts and to evaluate their antioxidant and antimicrobial potential. The extracts were characterized using FTIR spectroscopy and HPTLC techniques. The extracts and pure usnic acid have shown high antioxidant activity and have activity against certain Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi such as Candida albicans. Therefore, the analyzed bioactive compounds could be used as the basis of pharmaceutical formulations to treat various respiratory and digestive disorders.

Ranunculus rionii and Ceratophyllum demersum develop aquatic dense stands, which lately started to represent a major ecological concern for all the ponds and/or lakes in Romania. The potential relationships between the phytochemical compounds detected in these plant extracts (acids, phenols, heterocycles, alcohols, hydrocarbures) and the allelopathic properties against Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains and microalgal cultures were investigated and discussed in the current study. The untargeted solid phase micro extraction (SPME) GC/MS analysis performed on the dried plants incubated for 25 min at 50°C showed that phenols are the major constituents of the volatile fingerprint with a relative peak area higher than 13%, namely: 2,6 bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4(1-oxopropyl) phenol and phenol, 3,5-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl). The inhibition effects ex situ of the analyzed extracts suggest that aquatic macrophytes may excrete inhibitory substances and show allelopathic inhibitory potential against certain bacterial strains and on: Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum and Microcystis aeruginosa cultures.